Type 2a: Flat-sided

Superficially at least, Type 2a combs appear to be rather crudely manufactured. Their defining characteristic is the use of connecting plates cut from the ribs of sheep or other domestic mammals, which gives them a distinctive flat cross-section. In England, these combs are commonly excavated from 7th- and 8th-century phases (e.g. Addyman and Hill 1969; Rogers 1993; Ashby and Spall 2005).